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First thorium nuclear clocks begin ticking in Vienna and Beijing

As of October 2026: Leads the team behind the first self-stabilizing nuclear clock

For 70 years, the world's most precise clocks have counted the vibrations of electrons orbiting an atom. In early October 2026, two teams — one in Vienna, one in Beijing — unveiled the first clocks that read time from the ticking of a thorium nucleus instead.

Updated Oct 11

Notable Quotes

The great advantage of the new nuclear clock in Vienna is that, if you use atomic nuclei rather than atoms, much higher precision is possible in principle.

from First thorium nuclear clocks begin ticking in Vienna and Beijing · Updated Oct 11

This is not yet at the level of the world's best optical atomic clocks, but for a first prototype it is a fantastic result.

from First thorium nuclear clocks begin ticking in Vienna and Beijing · Updated Oct 11